Means for extinguishing fires in oil-filled receptacles.



PATENTED MAY 14, 1907.

R. D. MERSHON. MEANS FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES IN OIL FILLED REGEPTAGLES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20,1904.

ms uanms PETERS co. wAsmNcmn, p. c.

proposed for extln UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIOE.

RALPH D. MERSHON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC& MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PEN N- SYLVANIA.

MEANS FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES IN OIL-FILLED RECEPTACLE S.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 14, 1907.

Application filed February 20, 1904. Serial No. 194,464.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH D. MERsIioN, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of New York, county of New York, State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for ExtinguishingFires in Oil-Filled Receptacles, of which the following is aspecification.

As is well known, certain receptacles permanently filled with oil arevery liable to injury or destruction from the ignition of the oil. Thisis particularly true in the case of devices of .the class known as"oil-cooled electrical apparatus, including transformers, inductioncoils, condensers, &c., in which the heat developed by the resistance ofthe con ductors to the passage of the electric current or by shortcircuits sometimes results in the ignition of the oil. -Fires of thischaracter for reasons well known are difficult to cope with, andalthough various plans have been 'uishlng them I am not aware that any0? such plans have been found to be practicable. These considerationshave led me to device means by which such fires may be extinguishedquickly and easily and which may be operated without serious injury toor destruction of the apparatus.

My improved means will be more readily understood by reference to theaccompanying drawing, in which- 1. represents the casing of anoil-filled receptaclee. g., a transformer or other electrical device.This casing is made substantially liquid-tight to contain a body of oil2, which in the case supposed is designed either to insulate or to coolthe transformercoil 3. The upper part of the case has connected to it inany convenient manner a comparatively small pipe 4, extending somedistance away, while to another part of the easing, and preferably at ornear the bottom of the same, is connected a second pipe 5 of suitablesize, having a valve 6, by means of which the flow of liquid through itmay be readily controlled. Through this pipe 5 a liquid is to beadmitted to the tank in order which case the pipe 6 is connected to anysuitable source of water-supply,preferably under considerable pressure.If for any reason the oil in the receptacle should take fire or is indanger of ignition, the valve 6 is opened and water admitted into thecasing. Since the water is heavier than the oil, the later will berapidly displaced and expelled from-the casing through the pipe 4,leaving the casing filled with water. At the same time fire in anycombustible material which may have been used in the construction of theapparatus will be extinguished by the direct application of the water,which. thus performs a useful function in addition to that of expellingthe oil.

It will of course be understood that these means may be employed withany apparatus containing oil, and I am therefore not limited to its usewith electrical transformers, as

illustrated.

I claim as my invention:

The combination with an oil containlng receptacle, and an electricalapparatus submerged in the oil and subject under the conditions of itsoperation to the danger of igniting the oil, of a free outlet for theoil above tne normal height thereof, a discharge pipe extending fromsaid outlet to a point beyond the limit of exposure to fire, awaterinlet pipe connected with the lower end of the receptacle, andmeans whereby water from the inlet pipe may be caused to replace the oiland cause its discharge through the said discharge pipe.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York, and State of New York,this 15th day of February, A. D. 1904.

RALPH D. MERSIION.

Witnesses:

WM. H. CAPEL, D. H. FOLEY.

